The Halachot regarding carrying items in a public domain on Shabbat without an Eruv are found in The Shulhan Aruch, Siman 301. There, Maran outlines which items are considered to be a Malbush (clothing) or a Tachshit (jewelry) and may be worn in the public domain.
WIGS:
Maran rules that a woman may wear a wig, as it is considered an article of clothing. In the times of the Shulhan Aruch, there were wigs made of unusual materials, which required a special designation before Shabbat. However, in our day, all wigs are usable on Shabbat. Shemirat Shabbat K’hilchato also allows a woman to wear a headband or ornamental pins on her wig, as these are considered part of the wig. For that matter, a man may also wear a toupee.
MEDALLIONS and ORNAMENTS:
A military medal or medallion of honor may be worn pinned to a garment, as it is considered a piece of jewelry. Shemirat Shabbat K’hilchato also permits wearing a feather in a hat, even if it is not sewn in. Likewise, he permits wearing a pocket square, even though it is not sewn in.
WET CLOTHING:
At the end of Siman 301, Maran discusses issues concerning wearing wet clothing, even in a place that has an Eruv. If one’s clothes became soaking wet while wearing them, the Halacha permits one to continue wearing them until he arrives home. Even though there may be concern that he will wring them out, which is a violation of Shabbat, or it may appear that he laundered them on Shabbat, the concern for Kavod Habriyot (Human Dignity) overrides any potential problem.
Once he arrives home and wants to hang them up, he must be careful to do so in the Halachically approved manner. It is prohibited to hang wet clothes near a fire or heater, since the water absorbed will be heated, which is a form of cooking. Likewise, he may not stand near the heat source, wearing the wet clothes, for the same reason.
It is also prohibited to hang wet clothes in a manner that is clearly intended to dry them. For example, one may not hang his wet clothes on a clothesline, or spread them out especially to dry. This is a problem of Mar’it Ayin; an observer may think that he washed these clothes on Shabbat. He may hang the clothes in a closet, a railing or the back of a door, in the usual manner he would hang up his dry clothes.
The Rama rules that one may not handle soaking wet clothes, out of concern that he may come to wring them out. However, The Mishna Berura (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933) and the Aruch Ha’shulhan (Rav Yechiel Michel Epstein of Nevarduk, 1829-1908) rule that there is no problem with wet towels, since towels are meant to get wet, there is no concern that he will wring them out. Therefore, there is no problem with throwing a wet towel into the hamper. Likewise, in a place where there is an Eruv, one may return home from the Mikva with his wet towel.
SUMMARY:
• Wigs may be worn in the public domain.
• Medals, medallions, feathers in hats and pocket squares may be worn in the public domain.
• One may not hang up wet clothing near a heater, nor may he hang them up in a special manner to dry.
• One may handle wet towels on Shabbat.
